The Mulberry Bush

The Mulberry Bush 51 Locks Road,, Locks Heath, Southampton, SO31 6NS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 7 September 2017 13 January 2014

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This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision is good

 Staff work closely with parents to help children settle in. They share detailed information about children's progress with parents, and support them to continue their learning at home. The parent committee is actively involved in the provision.  Managers monitor staff closely to assess their practice and support their professional development. They operate an open door policy for staff to share any issues or concerns.  Staff know children well and use their knowledge to plan effectively to meet each child's individual learning needs. Children make good progress.  Staff support babies particularly well. For example, they provide a homely environment and a wide range of exciting resources, including plenty of natural materials, for babies to explore.  Managers prioritise healthy eating. They work closely with the cook, a dietician and parents to ensure that children eat a varied and nutritious diet.

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This provision is good

 The nursery provides a stimulating and spacious environment for all children. For example, each age group has a sensory room and outdoor play area to support their play and learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Some staff occasionally miss opportunities to extend children's learning as much as possible.  Children do not always have the opportunity to share their cultures, use their home languages, and learn about the lives of others.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 make sure that all staff take every opportunity to extend children's learning as fully as possible  enhance the support for children to learn about the lives of others, use their home languages and share their cultures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors spoke to parents and viewed their written feedback.  The inspectors observed the interactions between the staff and children.  The inspectors sampled a selection of documentation.  The inspectors held a leadership and management meeting with managers.  The inspectors spoke to the staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Managers and staff have a comprehensive understanding of the possible signs that a child may be at risk and know what to do if they have concerns. They take positive steps to keep children safe. These include ensuring that recent building work did not put children at risk, high adult-to-child ratios, effective supervision, and careful monitoring of the causes of accidents. Managers and staff monitor the progress of individuals and groups of children effectively. They use this information to plan for each child and identify and target those areas where each age group needs to make more progress. Managers make good use of the views of staff, parents and children to reflect on the quality of the provision and target improvements. These include creating an additional room to better meet the needs of younger babies. Managers fully support staff to develop their teaching skills. One member of staff has just completed an early years degree, which

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

has boosted her knowledge and confidence. Some staff have completed training about communication-friendly spaces and shared this with the rest of the staff team. It has led to the purchase of a wicker den for the babies.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Overall, staff use effective teaching methods to support children's learning. They encourage young children to persevere, such as trying different ways to fit the pieces of a puzzle. They provide plenty of praise to motivate children and value their achievements. When a child makes a picture of a house out of sand, acorns and leaves, staff help them take a photograph and print it out so they can take it home to show their parents. Staff ask questions to encourage children to think about things, such as the best way to stick items together to make a house. They support children's communication skills well, chatting to them as they play in the sand and using sign language as they sing together.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are well behaved. They learn to share and help one another, for example, a child offers to push another on a tricycle. They form good relationships with one another and enjoy a close relationship with staff. Staff ensure that babies' care needs, such as feeding and sleeping patterns, are fully met. Children have good opportunities to move freely and develop their physical skills. They clamber and balance on apparatus and enjoy the challenge of climbing a tree.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children, including those in receipt of funding and those who have special educational needs, make good progress. They are confident, keen to explore and develop many independent skills in preparation for moving on to school. Older children ask questions, chatter happily and talk at circle time about with whom they live. They use mathematical language as they describe the long slide they have made and discuss building a tall tower. Babies are curious and enjoy investigating materials, such as crinkly silver paper.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY464833 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 1112643 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 100 Number of children on roll 258 Name of registered person TMB Day Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 13 January 2014 Telephone number 01489583130

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reference number

The Mulberry Bush registered in 2013. The nursery is open each weekday for 51 weeks of the year, from 7.30am to 6pm. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 39 members of staff. Of these, one has qualified teacher status, two have foundation degrees, four have qualifications at level 4, 23 have qualifications at level 3 and six are apprentices.

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reference number

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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reference number

procedures set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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reference number

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reference number

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reference number

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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